Cup holders have previously been utilized with disposable cups for containing hot or cold beverages. Some of the cup holders have been stackable. Many of these cup holders have tapered shapes that have occasion to stick together to adjoining cups in the stacked position, subsequently having to be forced apart to be accessible for use. Other cup holders have an inadequate disposable cup holding means whereby the disposable cups will release from the cup holder with tipping during use either at will or facilitated by the expansion or contraction of the disposable cup depending on the temperature of the fluid contained. The production of cup holders with these cup holding means has been limited because their structure requires relatively sophisticated production methods not generally suited for mass production of a ceramic cup.
Prior art references noted by a search conducted prior to filing this application are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,803,375 to P. Meshberg for Nestable Vessels discloses a nestable pitcher having a handle with a free lower end to allow the pitcher to be partially inserted into another similar pitcher.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,858,041 to C. S. Robinson for Anti-Splash Vessel for Liquids discloses a cup with a baffle ring extending around the inner circumference of the side wall below the rim of the cup. The rim acts as a support for a like cup to be stacked thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,885,134 to M. Cohen for Stackable Drinking Vessels and Stack Thereof discloses a drinking vessel having a flaired side wall and a tubular duct located at the side wall to operate as a straw.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,932,437 to I. L. Wilcox for Cup discloses a cup having an integral handle projecting from the rim of the cup. The handle is formed with depressions transverse of the handle whereby the cups are adapted to be stacked.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,151,798 to F. L. Meagher for Handle for Nestable Cups discloses a handle for attachment to the body of a disposable cup that permits the cups to be stacked within one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,795 to G. C. D'Ercoli for Nestable Cups and Holders discloses a thin walled, disposable cup of a truncated conical shape and a cup holder of a complementary shape for retaining the disposable cup.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,470 to L. J. Von Gunten for Nestable Pill-Administering Drinking Vessel discloses an open-ended pill administering drinking vessel. The drinking vessel has no handle and the bottom portion of the vessel is dished to make the vessel nestable with other identical vessels.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,281 to A. Taddei for Dental Products discloses a disposable cup having a rim with a radial projection for holding a toothbrush.